Some things are almost too pretty to be real

like spring in the Marietta, Ohio, arboretum, named after tree expert Marilyn Ortt, described by a former mayor as the city's "goddess of green."

Even the weeds looked great last weekend (if there is anyone neatnik enough to describe the classic April combination of violets, dandelions, and spring beauties as "weeds").

All the early spring trees were blooming,

and the dogwood/crabapple combination overhanging the path almost made my teeth hurt with its sweetness,

but the okay-this-is-almost-too-much moment was the redbud/crabapple/springblue sky combination on the edge of the river trail.

How is anyone supposed to get papers graded while all this is going on?